Laravel Runner – Laravel Code Runner & Tinker for VS Code
Run and debug Laravel / PHP code with one click — right inside VS Code.
⚡ Quick Start – Use the built-in Laravel Runner: Install command
- Open the Command Palette: Ctrl + Shift + P
- Type
Laravel Runner
and select Laravel Runner: Install. This generates a ready-to-run .playground/hello.php
file to get you started instantly.
- Just hit ▶ Run PHP File (Laravel Runner) or press Ctrl + Alt + R to see color-coded output in the sidebar.
Key Features
- ⚡ One-click execution – Press
Ctrl+Alt+R
or click ▶ Run PHP File (Laravel Runner).
- 🎨 Color-coded output – Errors, dumps, and logs are syntax-highlighted for instant readability.
- 🔍 Searchable logs – Instantly highlight matches as you type — even across long output.
- 🛑 Stop button – Hung or runaway script? Instantly cancel with a click.
- 💡 IntelliSense & linting – Real
.php
files with full support from Intelephense, CS Fixer, snippets, and more.
- 🧘 Smart activation – Only loads inside Laravel projects (auto-detects
artisan
).
- 🌍 Cross-platform – Works on macOS, Linux, Windows, WSL, and remote SSH.
Visual Tour – Laravel Runner in Action
Color-Coded Output Panel
Tailored colors for code results, errors, and logs—see issues at a glance.
Live Search & Highlight
Live search to jump to variables or values inside long outputs.
As you type, matches are instantly highlighted — even across multiple lines.
Stop Hung Scripts Instantly
Hit the stop button (in red) or Stop PHP File
(at the top of file) to kill runaway loops or stuck processes — no need to restart VS Code or kill terminals.
IntelliSense & Autocomplete
Real .php
files mean you get full IntelliSense, autocompletion, linting, and Copilot suggestions—powered by your existing PHP extensions like Intelephense or CS Fixer.
Settings & Configuration
Change the folder where PHP files live or choose whether output should persist across runs.
Settings > Extensions > Laravel Runner:
Quick answers
Question |
Answer |
Will it touch my DB? |
Only if your code tells it to—safe by default. |
Run on macOS / Linux / Windows? |
Yep! Fully supports all platforms, including WSL and remote SSH. |
Got an error? |
Open an issue on GitHub. |
Support the Project
If Laravel Runner saves you time, please:
Happy tinkering! 🛠️